Page 41 of Child of Mine

There must be other factors that have her keeping me at arm’s length. Something to do with her past, maybe. Maybe it’s the kid’s father? Maybe she had a bad experience with him that has her wary of all men?

The thing I have going for me: I can be patient when I want to. It’s just that I rarely want to.

At least the week in the woods is productive. The never-ending list of activities may have me grumpy, but they do provide ample opportunity to capture moments I’m already slotting into storyboards. When we get back to Boston, I’ll have to spend more hours than I want to contemplate logging timecodes and labeling takes before tackling the actual edits, but at least we’ve got plenty of material to choose from, which eases my anxieties about the final product.

When it occurs to me that I could use help with all that and that Bella’s perspective would be ideal, my path seems clear. I’ll just convince the team—and her—that the elder AP’s time is best spent in the editing suite.

At my side.

Chapter 8

“TV’S SEXIEST ACTRESSES TELL WHAT TURNS THEM ON! When we asked Felicity Johnson (Raven onOne Way to Live) about her ideal man, the daytime actress paused before answering, ‘That’s hard to say.’” Pressed further, she finally admits with a rueful smile, ‘I’ve done such a rotten job at picking my men. I just wonder if I wasn’t looking for all of the wrong qualities.’”Soap Chat, July 1989

BELLA

The rest of the bonding week, I manage to avoid being alone with Henry, but both Izzy and Quinn never stop reminding me that there’s a lot of unfinished business between us. Unfortunately, when we reconvene back in Boston for a production meeting, James kicks things off by suggesting that I spend my days collaborating with Henry in the editing suite until the opening sequence and commercial are completed.

Despite my efforts to send him bat signals, Henry either misunderstands my widened eyes and shakes of the head or he doesn’t agree that us spending hours side by side in a darkened room is a bad idea, because he just smiles and nods.

When I argue that I don’t want to leave the other APs hanging, they claim they’re on top of the letters and other preproduction duties. When Carol points out that using material from the retreat was my idea, I’m sunk.

I’m going to spend the week either figuring out how to fess up to Henry or avoiding all talk about my daughter, not to mention either giving in to the off-the-charts chemistry between us or fighting it off like a communicable disease.

On top of all that, I’ve got a show to open, so I’ll be skipping out early and driving directly to the outdoor theater for rehearsals every evening. Thankfully, my ankle healed up quickly. That’s about the only thing I’ve got going for me right now.

I feel like I’m totally neglecting my family, but my mom seems relieved to have real income coming in, and Lilah’s busy playing with friends she made in kindergarten, whether it’s holding court in the bookstore or going to other kids’ houses for the day.

After the meeting, when Henry and I settle in next to each other in the editing room, I’m given a reprieve in the form of Sam, the actual editor. Turns out we need someone to operate the equipment. Henry must’ve spent the entire weekend culling the hours and hours of footage shot up in the mountains because he’s got a to-do list a mile long.

“Do you really need me here?” I ask. “You seem totally organized.”

“I am,” he answers, that too-damn-charming accent lengthening his vowels. “But I’ve been staring at this stuff for the past forty-eight hours, and I need fresh eyes. Plus, I trust your instincts.”

I trusthisinstincts,Quinn says with a grin.

He needs us,Izzy squeals.

“We’ve got to whittle all this down to a sixty-second spot, a thirty-second spot, and then the opening,” he continues.

“Which will also have to include the kids singing and dancing onstage,” I say.

“Does it? Does it really?” He sighs.

“What do you mean? Of course it does. They have to sing theBoomsong.”

And then we’re off. And dammit, arguing with Henry is as sexy as being naked with Henry. Good thing Sam is here or my hands would be stripping us both down so we could do both at the same time.

* * *

HENRY

By day three of working shoulder to shoulder with Bella I feel like my balls are going to explode. I don’t know what it is about this woman, but a whiff of the flowery scent of her shampoo has me wanting to bury my nose behind her ear. A whisper of a touch when she reaches across the desk for a pen or to point out a detail on the screen and all I can think about is every soft spot I kissed that night in her cabin. Even the sound of her voice when she returns from a break has my ears pricking up like Ribsy’s when he hears another hound baying.

So when Sam takes off for lunch and she spins around to face me, I can’t be blamed for what happens next. This woman’s a heady cocktail, and I’m drunk on her presence. My hands grab ahold of her rolling chair the minute the door clicks behind Sam’s retreating body.

“We have at least twenty minutes,” I growl. “I need to kiss you more than I need my next breath.”

Before my heart beats twice, her lips crash into mine and her nails scrape the back of my scalp.

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